Opiates suppress the immune system

As for cancer patients, opiates not only delay healing, but they stun the immune system too. People with bone mets who are on opiates are not being optimally served.

Here is an option to ask your doctor about: Xyrem (GHB) which has been implicated in date rape (always in conjunction with drinking alcohol) is a safe and effective alternative to the immuno-suppressive opiates: Think of it: if you can sleep through a date rape, you can sleep through metastatic bone pain. Xyrem can be used instead of opiates for people to get a good night’s sleep which includes stage 3 and 4 “deep” and restorative sleep. (NOTE: Xyrem should never be used in conjunction with opiates – see comments below)

Here is some of the problems with opiates:

Chronic Morphine Use Delays Wound Healing

ScienceDaily (Jan. 23, 2010) — Researchers led by Dr. Sabita Roy at the University of Minnesota have found that chronic morphine use delays wound healing in the presence on an infection.

They report their data in the February 2010 issue of The American Journal of Pathology.

Morphine acts on cells in the central nervous system, resulting in pain relief and analgesia; however, morphine use may also affect the immune system. Indeed, chronic morphine users and opioid abusers have inadequate wound closure and increased susceptibility to infection.

To further address this issue, Martin et al examined wound healing in a mouse model of chronic morphine use/abuse. In the presence of inflammation, chronic morphine exposure resulted in a marked decrease in wound closure, compromised wound integrity, and increased bacterial sepsis. With morphine exposure, expression of particular immune molecules was altered, which led to decreased recruitment of immune cells to the wound site. New blood vessel formation and recruitment of replacement cells were also suppressed in these animals. These data suggest that the immunosuppression due to morphine treatment delays immune cell recruitment, leading to lack of bacterial clearance and delayed wound closure.

Dr. Roy’s group concludes that “these studies provide an in vivo tool by which further mechanistic experiments can be performed to address why, clinically, heroin-addicted patients often present with infected non-healing wounds. Understanding these underlying mechanisms affords improved treatment options not only for chronic morphine users and abusers, but can also have translational implications for immuno-compromised populations such as the elderly or those who are chronically stressed.”

COMMENTS:

Please do not use xryrem with opiate of other CNS Depressants. See Black Box Warning. I almost died on Dec 24 at a small dose. Cpr was performed. I was told i was toe tagged. Agree opiates are bad but I have intractable pain and have been on for 13 years. Very scary. I also read methylnaltrexone can help reverse the negative effects of the opiates and that was from the Univ of Chicago.
Bless you
Staci

____________

Thank you for your excellent point, Staci:

To Clarify:

I would never recommend that Xyrem is use in conjunction with opiates.

I will clarify that further on the web page since it is reasonable to assume that if you misunderstood my words, others might also.

The intent of the communication was to describe Xyrem and an ALTERNATIVE TO and not an adjuvant or add on remedy.

Opiates are sub optimal in that, while they do lower pain, they do so at the expense of the immune system.

Xyrem, when appropriately prescribed, can SUBSTITUTE for opiates but they should never be taken at the same time.

This web site is neither for advertising nor dispensing of medical advice. Clients who consult with Dr. Weeks receive information in an educational context in an effort to learn about optimizing care with their local health care practitioners. Dr. Weeks formerly practiced on Whidbey Island off the coast of Washington.

Share This Post

Dr. Weeks’ Comment: Only Mae West would say that too much of a good thing is wonderful. As for cancer patients, opiates not only delay healing, but they stun the immune system too. People with bone mets who are on opiates are not being optimally served. Here is an option to ask your doctor about: …

Archives

The information contained on these web pages is derived from Dr. Weeks’ years of clinical experience and his review of scientific literature. However, these ideas and information are for your education and entertainment only. They are positively not intended to be a substitute for careful medical evaluation and treatment by a competent, licensed personal health care professional. Dr. Weeks and his associates do not recommend changing any current medications or adding any new therapies without personally consulting a fully qualified physician. Dr. Weeks and his staff specifically disclaim any liability arising directly or indirectly from information contained on these Web pages.

Varying and even conflicting views are held by other segments of the medical profession. The information presented on these Web pages is intended to be educational and entertaining in nature and is not intended as a basis for diagnosis or treatment. This information is current at the time of posting on the World Wide Web, and is published and distributed as a courtesy to the public.